Need Advice!

[mike_beecham]

Hi all,
I am concidering buying a 1973 Landrover Ute Series 2a as a project.
I know nothing about the older Landies (I have had several 110 Defenders)

Some info:
1973 Landrover. Series 2a ute
Fully rebuilt Holden 186 motor on dual fuel.

High ratio transfer case (reduced revs at road speeds )
See HIGH RATIO TRANSFER CASE INCLUDES 3 GEARS AND HOUSING (http://www.fwd.com.au/high-ratio-transfer-case-includes-3-gears-and-housing.html)

Both motor rebuild & the High ratio transfer box have less than 5000kms on them.

The vehicle has sat in my yard unused for several years, after something 'let go' inside the gearbox. This gearbox is from a series 3 landrover & has full synchromesh

Thoughts? Any advice greatly appreciated.

Mike

[Mick_Marsh]

One thought from me.
Do you have an engineers report for the engine conversion or registration history with that motor? Makes it easier to register.

[mike_beecham]

Had not thought of that. Thanks.

What is a gear box worth?

Mike

[Lotz-A-Landies]

You need to drain both the gearbox and transfer case to see if there is any metal filings - but first do the usual checks. What are any noises like? Where are they?
Does it move at all? Which gears + reverse?
What happens when you select low range?
Are freewheeling hubs engaged/4WD selected?I had a SIII box/transfer fully rebuilt with new cluster etc and it cost about $3K

[JayBoRover]

The 1970 S2A I recently bought came with a book of receipts for various work done over the last few years ... including a gearbox rebuild. The receipt (from a Rover workshop) is dated Sept 2006 and includes:
- Rebuild main gearbox
- Remove gearbox and refit
Parts:
Ex main gear box - $1100
Main Shaft - $160
Oil - $24

So it seems to me that $1500 should be ample depending on what the damage is. Most bits seem to be available for the S2As on evilBay or various specialists.
Good luck.
Cheers

[mike_beecham]

This bloke has about $500 on it.

[dandlandyman]

High-speed transfer's worth about $1000 new, gas conversion up to $2000 or so, so price tag seems fairly good. Gearbox issues could be a killer, though. If something "let go", it could be as terminal as a broken layshaft or even mainshaft. It needs a full rebuild or replacement. There aren't many good cheap second hand transmissions around any more, but you could strike it lucky...

A good project from the sounds of it though. Just take care to thoroughly check the structural integrity of it. And it can't be a 1973 Series 2A, they started making Series 3s in 71.

Dan.
69 2A 88" pet4 (with an identity crisis), 68 2B FC pet6 (dozing quietly), plus others.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

.... And it can't be a 1973 Series 2A, they started making Series 3s in 71.

Dan.Dan
Grenville Motors in Sydney were still distributing SIIa 109" in May 1973. 34712040H 26/1/73
34711838H 2/2/73
34712033H 22/2/73
34712038H 1/3/73
34712449H 14/5/73

[mike_beecham]

Hi All,
A bit molre info.....
I checked with owner about the gearbox. He said it would still go in all gears, but he recalls that it made noise and shooks trans. Ummm....he think s a bearing may have collapsed????

He only drove a few metres - and it was left....for two years!!


Mike

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Mike

If those are the symptoms, it could be worthwhile repairing yourself. The SIIa box has separate gears on the layshaft so are far cheaper than the SIII cluster.

I taught myself to overhaul series Land Rover boxes when I was only 14 years old. Buy an original workshop manual and build up the box as it describes. You could even buy the RAVE CD from Daves Interesting Things on this site.

Diana

[mike_beecham]

Hi Diana
He has a 2a box there also (which l beleive are a better box - no synchros...). So l guess taht could be re-fitted? Not sure why he went to a series 3 box?

He is inlcuding in the sale the complete, but dismantled 2a box.

I think l'd be inclinded to re-build that and put back in. Wanting to do it right first time as it is a pain (l am told) to put g/box in owing to having to remove the cab!!!


Mike

[JayBoRover]

Hi Diana
He has a 2a box there also (which l beleive are a better box - no synchros...). So l guess taht could be re-fitted? Not sure why he went to a series 3 box?

He is inlcuding in the sale the complete, but dismantled 2a box.

I think l'd be inclinded to re-build that and put back in. Wanting to do it right first time as it is a pain (l am told) to put g/box in owing to having to remove the cab!!!


Mike
The 2A box has no synchro on 1st and 2nd but 3rd and 4th have synchro. I've now been using my S2A for a week as a daily driver to see what it's like. No issues with the gear changes - you get the rev's just right and double clutch it and before you know it becomes normal practice and the changes are reasonably smooth.

Every text I've read so far says the S2A gearboxes are the best of the Landy boxes, so I'd be looking at revuilding that one and ditch the S3 anchor.

Cheers
John B

[NiteMare]

the cab doesn't actually need removing, just the floor plates, trans' tunnel and seatbox (seat box can be a pig with rusted bolts)...

if you've a military crossmember the seatbox can be left in and the g/gox can be dropped to the floor ...

use an engine hoist thru the passenger door to raise/lower/guide the gearbox and put a 1" thick wedge of wood under the flywheel housing, remove handbrake lever and links completely and the nearside gearbox mount...

i've not been working on series landys for long but i know i can swap a clutch on my own in one day in a series3 and be back on the road even with rusted bolts, two folks that have a good idea of what to do should be able to do the job in about 4 hours i expect

[Lotz-A-Landies]

John B

The early SIII boxes had a tendency to throw the reverse idler gear out the side of the casing when reversing up a steep slope when loaded. If the case has lasted till now it will probably last a lot longer, the later SIII boxes had lattice ridges in the casting over the reverse idler to solve the problem.

The biggest problem with the SIII box is the cost of the layshaft cluster which actually removes the weakness in the earlier Land Rover boxes. So if you have a late suffix SIII box (all the Army ones) they are not necessarily a boat anchor, although they are more expensive on parts to repair.

You can remove the transmission from the vehicle without taking off the roof or even the seat box. You do it by removing the transfer off the back of the gearbox first and drop it down to the floor. You then do the same with the gearbox. You do have to remove the floor panels though.

Diana